When Great Dane envisioned revolutionizing the trailer marketplace with modern data collection and analytics, they sought a partnership with Morey. Powered by Morey’s robust embedded hardware, FleetPulse transcends traditional GPS systems. This smart trailer platform brought a historically overlooked and critical component of the transportation industry into the twenty-first century, offering smarter maintenance, improved forecasting, enhanced agility, and superior customer insights.
This case study details the pressing need to modernize the trailer ecosystem and the challenges of pioneering a comprehensive telematics solution. Continue reading to learn more about the collaboration that led to the development of Fleet Pulse, a groundbreaking solution in trailer technology.
Use Case
Great Dane, a name synonymous with quality and innovation in the trailer industry, has long set the standard for trailer manufacturing. Their legacy is built on a commitment to excellence, consistently delivering products that redefine reliability and efficiency in the Over The Road Trucking sector.
This sector, crucial to the global economy, involves an extensive network of 13.86 million trucks, responsible for 72.6% of the nation’s freight by weight and generating $940.8 billion in gross freight revenues in 2022. Employing over 8.4 million people and integral to international trade, the industry’s evolving challenges include rising operational costs and increasing dependence on advanced technology for enhanced efficiency and safety????.
With over a century of experience, Great Dane has consistently pushed the boundaries of trailer innovation, driven by a deep understanding of the Over The Road (OTR) Trucking sector’s evolving needs.
Problem
In an industry increasingly driven by efficiency and data-driven decision-making, trailers have traditionally been viewed as mechanical entities, lagging in technological advancements compared to their tractor counterparts.
Consequently, fleet managers and operators were left with a critical gap in their data-driven decision-making processes.
The industry urgently needed an advanced system that not only tracked trailers comprehensively but also monitored vital trailer components to offer real-time, actionable insights, and facilitate predictive maintenance.
Goal
Recognizing the existing void in trailer technology as an opportunity for innovation, Great Dane set forth the ambitious goals to build upon their legacy and redefine the industry. Their vision was to redefine trailer management and transform traditional trailers from purely mechanical entities to intelligent assets, capable of delivering comprehensive, real-time data and insights.
This transformation necessitated integrating different Tier 1 systems for an industry-leading solution, encompassing a range of functionalities from trailer lights to brakes and tire monitoring. By developing a robust smart trailer system, Great Dane aimed to provide detailed insights into trailer health and utilization, ensuring reliable data transmission and enabling advanced analytics.
This technological leap would facilitate real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance, thereby reshaping the landscape of trailer management in the Over The Road Trucking sector.
Ultimately, their goal was to enhance fleet management decision-making, offering precise, comprehensive data to drive efficiency and safety in a sector pivotal to the global economy.
Challenge
Developing FleetPulse presented a complex array of challenges, primarily the hardware needed to support such an advanced system, which had to be incredibly robust to withstand the demanding conditions of road transport. This required a delicate balance of technological sophistication and durability, ensuring that the system was not only advanced in its capabilities but also rugged enough to endure the harsh realities of long-haul transportation.
Great Dane and Morey faced the complex task of deploying a telematics system that was not just accurate and reliable, but also versatile in tracking and data management. This system needed to handle vast amounts of data from a variety of sensors, each providing critical insights into different aspects of the trailer’s performance and condition.
Moreover, integrating these diverse data sets into a cohesive and user-friendly platform was a significant challenge. It involved harmonizing data communication needs from various vehicle types and sensors, and seamlessly integrating this technology into traditional trailer systems. This integration was crucial to ensure that the advanced features of FleetPulse were accessible and beneficial to the end-users, enhancing their ability to make informed decisions based on comprehensive, real-time data.
Solution
The solution to these challenges was a strategic partnership with Morey, leveraging their expertise in Digital Transformations and Software Agnostic Approach, along with a nearly century-long legacy of Systems Engineering, Embedded Hardware Design, and Advanced Electronics Manufacturing. This collaboration led to the utilization of Morey’s flagship telematics device, the MC4+, across all Great Dane trailers.
The MC4+ is designed to meet the most demanding needs of vehicle fleets, offering proven technology in a ruggedized platform that can withstand tough environments.
It features rugged IP69K sealed housing, an internal backup battery for data protection, real-time asset tracking and locating, and OTA firmware for easy updates. Its robust construction and cutting-edge technology make it an ideal choice for the demanding requirements of FleetPulse, ensuring durability and precision in data collection and analytics.
The MC4+’s capabilities in handling diverse data sets and providing real-time, actionable insights were crucial to incorporate different integrations such as Grote Guardian (Trailer Lights), Bendix (Trailer Brakes), Hendrickson Watchman (Trailer Wheels/Wheel Ends), Wabco (Trailer Brakes), Marmon TSE (Trailer Brakes), Door Contact Sensor (Trailer Door), and PSI Tireview (Trailer Tires), transforming Great Dane trailers into intelligent assets for the Over-The-Road Trucking sector.
This innovative solution marked a significant advancement in trailer technology, bridging the gap in data-driven decision-making and setting a new industry standard.
Morey’s Capabilities & Technology
The expertise of Morey in the FleetPulse project is underscored by our robust capabilities in embedded hardware design, essential in the development of the MC4+ platform. Our teams’ proficiency in integrating microprocessors and microcontrollers, including ARM and CISC processor technologies, played a pivotal role in creating a sophisticated yet durable telematics solution.
Our experience in analog signal conditioning, low-level sensor interfacing, and a variety of communication technologies like Ethernet, CAN 2.0B, and wireless communications standards, was essential in ensuring the MC4+ could efficiently gather and transmit diverse data sets from Great Dane’s trailers.
Finally, our capabilities in developing and manufacturing power drive electronics and advanced motor control systems further enhanced the robustness and reliability of the MC4+ unit, making it an ideal fit for the demanding environments of Over-The-Road Trucking.
Conclusion
The collaboration between Great Dane and Morey exemplifies the transformative power of IoT and digital technology in the trucking industry. FleetPulse is more than a telematics system; it is a testament to the power of innovative thinking and strategic partnerships in transforming industry standards.
Through Partnership, Great Dane successfully addressed the industry’s need for a robust, data-driven trailer management platform, offering unparalleled insights into trailer health and utilization.
This innovation not only enhances fleet managers’ decision-making capabilities but also marks a new standard in the over-the-Road Trucking sector. It underscores the potential of intelligent, connected solutions to transform traditional industries and leave a legacy of innovation for good.